1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to devices for orienting and feeding articles. More particularly, it concerns a system for orienting hollow, conical pipette tips and feeding said tips one at a time into slots narrowly tailored to receive the tips in a fitted, secured position.
2. The Background Art
Commercial packaging of large quantities of articles often involves the problem of transforming an unorganized supply of the articles into packages ready for shipping. The problem is frequently compounded by the necessity to orient the articles prior to insertion into customized packages. In the case of sterilized articles, it is necessary to package them without human handling to maintain sterilization. Manufacturers and distributors strive to achieve these process steps while maintaining overhead costs at a minimum. This has motivated the development of a number of automated apparatus and methods for packaging large quantities of manufactured articles in a short period of time.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,080,033 (issued Mar. 5, 1963 to G. Scott et al.) discloses a vertical sorting tube passing through guide rings and having an open lower end for dispensing articles therefrom. The articles are received at an open upper end of the tube through a funnel. The guide rings are manipulated by solenoids to thereby move the dispensing end of the tube over receiving slots of a packing crate. However, this invention fails to teach orientation of specifically shaped articles. Secondly, this invention fails to teach or suggest a method for breaking the fall of the articles to ensure reception thereof into the receiving slots.
Attempts to create handling apparatus with orientation capacity are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,467,236 (issued Sep. 16, 1969 to R. Dhanda), 2,945,335 (issued Jul. 19, 1960 to C. Nicolle) and 2,911,088 (issued Nov. 3, 1959 to R. M. Ingham, Jr., et al.). These references are directed to the handling of elongate article having a narrow end and an opposing broad end. They teach a pair of stationary, inclined parallel bars for holding the articles in suspended contact therebetween in a vertical position with the narrow end pointing downwardly. The article slide along the bar under the influence of gravity. Although these inventions have achieved orientation of the articles during handling, they introduce increased friction between the articles and the transporting apparatus which competes against gravity. This condition tends to slow transportation of the articles and thus the entire handling process. Further, there is still the problem of orienting the articles prior to positioning between the bars.
Other attempts at article orientation have been made. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,884,347 (issued on May 20, 1975 to Gallagher et al.) and 2,377,431 (issued on Jun. 5, 1945 to E. E. Lakso) teach parallel rotating cylinders for supporting articles therebetween. The cylinders include helical grooves, and helical ridges, respectively, about the exterior of the cylinders, which operate to orient the article. The Gallagher patent adds magnetization to the orientation process. The Lakso patent adds a conveyor belt below the cylinders to maintain the articles between said cylinders. Although an orienting capability is achieved by these inventions, it requires additional structure and expense.